Vent for oil-cans



(No Model.)

D. G. STONE. VENT FOR OIL CANS.

No. 439,983. Patented Nov. 4, 1 890,

A TTOHNEYS mum-mus wAsmNcn'aN, n. L.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DUDLEY G. STONE, OF NEGAUNEE, MICHIGAN.

VENT FOR OIL-CANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,983, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed March 11, 1890.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DUDLEY G. STONE, of Negaunee, in the county of Marquette and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vents for Oil-Cans and Similar Vessels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invent-ion relates to an improved vent for oil-cans and other vessels requiring the same, and has for its object to provide a simple and economic means whereby the ventaperture produced in the vessel may be expeditiously and conveniently covered or uncovered, as occasion may demand.

The invention consists in thevnovel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of an oil-can, illustrating my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the can, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the screw-cap of the can, and Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the same.

In the drawings, the vent-aperture 10 is illustrated as produced in the screw-cap 11 of an oil-can, that being considered the most desirable location for the vent of any vessel of that character; but I desire it to be understood that the said vent-aperture may be produced in any portion of the vessel that may be deemed best in practice.

In connection with the vent a regulator A is employed, consisting of a piece of spring metal bent to an angular shape and comprising two members 12 and 13. The member 12 is vertical and of a diameter and cross-section throughout the greater portion of its length corresponding to the diameter and shape of the vent-aperture, and upon one side, at or near the upper end, a notch 14 is produced, forming a shoulder a, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The member 13, which has somewhat of an upward inclination, is preferably fiat, and performs the function of a spring. The outer extremity of this spring member is secured in any appropriate manner to the under face of the screw-cap or body of the vessel near the vent-aperture, and the vertical mem- Serial No. 343,479- (No model.)

ber of the regulator is adapted to project upward through the vent-aperture. When this member is in its normal position, it completely closes the said vent-aperture.

In operation when the outer end of the regulator is pressed down by the thumb, for instance, and the shoulder a is carried under the edge of the vent to a contact with said edge, the vent-aperture is freed of a portion of its before-contained stopper and an inlet for the air is formed. An upward lifting pressure with the thumb-nail will serve to free the notch and cause a return of the vertical member 12 of the regulator to its normal position, the said member being forced to the said position through the action of the spring member 13.

If in practice it is found desirable the vertical member of the regulator maybe attached to the inner member, in which event the latter only need be constructed of a spring material.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a vessel provided with a vent-opening, of a regulator of essentially angular contour, comprising a vertical member of a diameter throughout the major portion of its length essentially corresponding to the diameter of the aperture and provided with a notch in one side face near the upper end, and a spring member, the outer end of which is attached to the inner face of the vessel near the vent-aperture, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the screw-cap of an oil-can or other vessel having a vent-aperture produced therein,of a regulator consisting of a vertical member extending upward through the aperture and of a diameter throughout the greater portion of its length corresponding to the diameter of the aperture and provided at or near its upper end with a notch in one side, and a spring member connected with the inner end of the vertical member, the extremity of which spring mem ber is attached to the under face of the said screw-cap, substantially as shown and described.

DUDLEY G. STONE.

Witnesses:

FRANK. D. STONE, GRACE STONE. 

